1. Technical Field
The present document is generally directed to compositions related to tobacco and smokeless tobacco products comprising chlorate.
2. Background Information
Tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) are considered to be undesirable constituents that occur naturally in tobacco. TSNAs are the result of a chemical reaction between tobacco alkaloids, such as nicotine and nornicotine, and unstable NOx radicals. See, Cui et al. (Tob. Sci. Res. Conf. 50, Abstr. 74 (1996)). It is generally understood that microbes on or in the tobacco plant before, during, or after curing are primarily responsible for the formation of nitrite, the predominant NOx precursor for TSNA formation (Bush et al. Recent Advances in Tobacco Science. 27:23-46 (2001)). TSNAs include N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), N′-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), N′-nitrosoanabasine (NAB), 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-4-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanal (NNA), 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-4-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (iso-NNAL), and 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-4-(3-pyridyl)-butanoic acid (iso-NNAC). Some existing methods for reducing TSNA content in tobacco and tobacco products focus on reducing bacteria or bacterial activity on tobacco. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,311,695 and 6,755,200. Because certain bacteria and bacterial activities are required for tobacco fermentation, such methods are not useful for producing fermented tobacco and tobacco products comprising fermented tobacco. Other methods include using filters to remove TSNAs from cigarette smoke. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,615,842, 6,789,548, and 6,792,953. Since smokeless tobacco products are generally smoked, these methods are not suitable for reducing the TSNA content in smokeless tobacco. Still other methods include using extracts or powders obtained from cured tobacco stems and lamina to produce alternative smokeless tobacco products. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,668,839 and 6,834,654. However, such products require flavors, such as eucalyptus, to reduce bitterness, and therefore may not provide acceptable tasting smokeless tobacco product. Other methods involve reducing exposure of tobacco to nitric oxide gas during curing. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,805,134 and 6,895,974. These methods are not applicable to the formation of TSNAs during fermentation or subsequent shelf life. Thus, it is desirable to produce tobacco and smokeless tobacco products having reduced TSNA content, while retaining the flavor, texture, and fragrance.